1. Field of Invention
This invention relates broadly to the field of systems and machines that employ minute electrical pulses for stimulating or inducing therapeutic actions in persons previously requiring or in need of medication normally employing chemical drugs.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Systems and machines of the general type described herein are in the prior art, the most notable such is probably best seen in U.S. Pat. No. 3,718,132, of William J. Holt and Roger Boy de la Tour, entitled Electrotherapy Machine, which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
In systems of the patented type, electrodes for transmitting electrical energy into the body of the patient were generally applied to the forehead by holding straps or a headband. Systems using this manner of attachment have now been improved in the following ways:
A. The unesthetic and objectionable strap or attaching band has been eliminated. PA1 B. The location of the electrodes has been moved from the forehead to area of the ears where their effectiveness is notably improved because the nerve endings are closer to the surface in this area. PA1 C. A simple, easy to use, set of electrodes has been provided. PA1 D. A more economical unit has been provided for renting or selling to a patient for home use.
These advantages have been accomplished by the adaptation and conversion of a standard stethoscope-type set of sound control ear plugs into a treatment application device. The result is that a very attractive and easy to apply head set provides the patient attaching electrodes which may be removed at will and may actually be used in a public or semi-public location where taped or strapped on electrodes would not be practical and would be an embarrassment for the user. By contrast, a person employing strapped on electrodes would immediately be classed as an "out-patient" and would be largely avoided by his peers, whereas a person employing the head set type electrodes would be at first thought to be listening to a radio or recording and would be accepted at any social level. This has been found to be true even after an identification has been made of its use. One, not immediately apparent, reason why this social acceptance is so important, is that one of the abnormal conditions that is effectively treated by electrotherapy (sometimes called cerebral electrotherapy or CET) is "neurosis," and one of the side effects of neurosis is the difficulty of social adjustment. So a patient who would ordinarily be inhibited from using a socially unaccepted machine, has no problem even in receiving treatments in public places wherever the need arises. The combination of a pocket-size unit with a conventional appearing head set poses no psychological problems even with patients having more serious than normal neuroses.
Other objections to the use of the prior art headbands are: that they are suggestive of the very traumatic electric shock treatment and may be shunned for this reason; and the headbands require more skill to adjust and tend to work loose and allow the electrodes contained therein to lose electrical contact with the skin surface when the patient moves his head. A primary factor in favor of the use of ear electrodes is the ease of use afforded a patient in his home environment. Other important favorable factors are that a shorter time and a lower stimulation current are required with the ear electrodes than are required for an equivalent treatment using the prior art electrodes. While prior art CET units were treating patients in physicians' offices, clinics, and hospitals, this use did not meet the full spectrum of treatment needs. An economical, ultra simple, easy to use, easy to carry (in purse or pocket) unit, powered by standard batteries, with an electrode set that would not be so embarrassing or complicated as to discourage home use was needed, and this need is fulfilled with the present invention. And the present invention is especially beneficial to those patients who require prolonged treatments or have difficulty getting to their physician's office and may conduct their own treatment, after proper instruction, in their own home.
Other prior art machines and systems are seen in the references cited in the above mentioned patent, and in the references cited in Donald D. Maurer U.S. Pat. No. 3,817,254. However, while the prior art disclosures serve useful functions in their respective fields, none of them accomplish the Applicants' purpose in the manner or with the structure of the present invention as described herein.
The disclosures of U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,718,132 and 3,817,254 and the references therein are incorporated herein by reference and form a part of this disclosure.